In its most extensive annual survey yet, Real
Estate Broker’s Insider looked at tax returns filed by 40 large Realtor associations and found that they paid their top executives a combined $14 million in 2013, down from $14.8 million in 2012. Financial statements for 2014 won’t be available until next year.

"To calculate compensation, we counted not just salary and bonus but also retirement benefits and perks reported on the associations’ tax returns," says Editor Jeff Ostrowski.

In some cases, the tax returns divulge eyebrow-raising details. At the Illinois Association of Realtors, for instance, Chief Executive Gary Clayton took a big pay cut in 2013. But his son and three daughters-in-law collected $156,396 in W-2 compensation from the organization,